Sermon Starters: Sailing with the Wind

Preaching today at Trinity Wesleyan in Tipton.

Title: Sailing with the Wind

Text: John 3:1-8

Introduction

• My background with boats -- not much
• Idea for outline came from a recent sermon by Steve Deneff and Emily Vermilya at College Wesleyan Church in Marion, Indiana

1. The Row Boat
Whether as a church or in our individual lives, some of us try to do it all ourselves

• There's nothing wrong with effort. 
• Examples of stick-to-it-iveness. Battle of the Bulge. A recent talk I heard from the CEO of a Foundation. "If it is to be, it is up to me." 

BUT... we ultimately can't do it all ourselves:

1. Not as a church (Ephesians 4:12)
2. Not as individuals (Ephesians 2:8)

2. The Motor Boat
Systems and planning are important, but they can only get you so far. Sometimes, they can keep you going in the wrong direction.

• There's nothing wrong with having processes in place.
• Examples -- how UMC churches almost don't seem to need their pastors. having good software

BUT... what if you're headed in the wrong direction?

• Forrest Gump's boat. The pilot who lost his way. Beautiful products nobody wants.
• Values, Mission, Vision, strategic plan, but no one comes to church

3. The Sail Boat
You have a direction, but you're navigating adverse winds AND you're blown by the Spirit (John 3).

• Sometimes the wind of the Spirit isn't blowing where you think it is.
• Missional thinking -- discover what God is already doing and get on board with his mission (Joshua 5 and the angel of the LORD)
• Don't be a Pharisee in the Gospels -- had to know they were wrong but persisted anyway. Be open to course corrections.

The Bible gives us the big picture of how the wind blows.

• God won't tell you to have an affair. He won't tell you to set your neighbor's house on fire or mess up your neighbor's life. He won't tell you to let someone starve or freeze to death.
• The specifics take more discernment. Be attentive to the Wind (Isaiah 30:21). It's even better when you do it together.

Conclusion
Paul in Acts 27 -- There were the things the sailors thought were best. Then there were the things God told Paul were best. If we don't want our ships to be shattered, we need to sail with the Wind.